Refuge and Redemption
by andi sunrider
Summary: short fic about Hermione, reflecting in a place we've rarely seen in the HP universe. . . PG for general angstyness.


This is a short fic that I wrote when I was trying to get my other fic started. It kinda stemmed out of thinking about Hermione's past, pre-Hogwarts, and her reaction to what we all know will happen in book 7. I always thought that it was weird that religion is never really mentioned in HP books; not even a mention (that I recall). I know that statistically, Hermione iis probably Anglican, but I don't know much about that religion, so I'm taking artistic license. I hope you all enjoy!!

She'd taken to long walks since she'd graduated from Hogwarts and started working, she found that she needed breaks from life in general, and certain memories in particular. The fresh air was invigorating, and she could just let her mind and feet wander. Tonight she found herself standing outside a small church, hesitating a moment before walking up the stairs to the door.

There was a mass taking place when she entered, but none of the parishioners turned their heads as she entered and took a seat at the back. She looked around the church, her eyes absorbing her surroundings: the stained glass windows, the priest's long purple robe, the prayer candles, the communion bread. The smell of the incense tickled her nose; she hadn't been in a church for so long…

************

"Do you, Hermione Anne Granger, promise to avoid the temptation of Satan in all his forms, and to actively resist his actions?"

"I do."

************

That'd been so long ago, when she'd been Confirmed. She'd thought that was the most important day of her life; how could she have known how much would change? Just a few months later, she'd gotten her letter from Hogwarts. The Catholic beliefs she'd been raised with hadn't really fit with her new life as a witch. She'd stopped practicing, and had forgotten most of that part of her childhood. Funny, that she'd found herself here. . . 

Her eyes wandered again, and this time settled on the stations of the cross. . . Her eyes studied these, her brain comprehended them, while her imagination turned the faces from the non-descript figures to those of her friends during that last battle. Harry, fighting Voldemort, struggling to remain standing under the onslaught of curses; Ron trying to help him, Ginny, trying to relieve his pain, the Death Eaters taunts and jabs, and Harry, taking out the evil with a spell that cost him his life. She shivered as the images brought back unbidden memories. The parallels were uncanny, in her mind. _Harry Potter, Jesus for the wizarding world,_ she though ruefully. 

She closed her eyes, fighting back tears and hiding the memories deep. She focused on the words the priest was speaking: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light…"

Oh God it was hard. Hard to move on with her life. Hard to forget, hard to get those screams and pictures out of her mind. Hard to see any light in her life, without them. 

"… those who lived in a land of deep darkness- on them light has shone."

Land of darkness… sounded like an apt description of her life. She was still suffering from shock, in a way. Shock and denial- regret, too. At least she wasn't alone in her land of darkness… They'd all suffered so much, too much.

********

"Hermione, I've let my best friend in the world down, letting this happen. I don't want you to do the same. If Harry was anything like his father, he would want you to be happy. If Ron was anything like his parents, he'd want you to find someone you love, and have seven kids. Neither would want you to waste your life; you are alone now, but you have to live up to their memories. You are living for three now…"

*******

Maybe all those people had been right… Maybe she should actually enjoy the world that her best friends had given their lives for… maybe that light was already shining, and she just had to open her eyes to it…

"… there shall be endless peace…uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forever more…"


End file.
